SweetFest draws a crowd: Valentine shoppers look for treats

February 13, 2012

The Morning News â€” Leslie Mielke
Examining some cupcakes at the Soroptimist Sweetfest Monday are Sabrine Kaplan, age 9, Dusty Walters, age 12 and Breaunna Underhill, age 8. Proceeds from the Sweetfest will help Soroptimist members give scholarships and support programs from women.

A steady stream of people flowed through the Meridian Center on Monday, buying goodies for their favorite people during SweetFest.
SweetFest is a fundraiser for Soroptimist International of Blackfoot, a women's service organization.
Linda DeRoche, president of the local chapter, noted that they conduct a few fundraisers a year so they can award scholarships to deserving women.
"We use these funds for scholarships in Bingham County," DeRoche said. One $500 scholarship goes to a high school senior, another goes to a non-traditional student who is often a single mother trying to improve her life and that of her family. Yet another award goes to a volunteer of the year and the organization in which she serves.
DeRoche said the Soroptimists are supporters of the Bingham Crisis Center, clean up two miles along U.S. Highway 91, have helped with Red Ribbon Week at the schools and sponsored the Carson-Barnes Circus performance in town last year.
"We're available for any service work around the community," DeRoche noted.
On Monday the Soroptimists conducted a just-for-fun Cupcake Wars competition.
Sheri Jorgensen's red velvet cake in half-pint jars was most creative, Whitnie Thompson's strawberry cake was best decorated, Serena Henson's lemon cake was best tasting and Shauny Solinsky's pina colada cake was grand champion.
The winners received a certificate and bragging rights.